“Realtors build communities and know that consumer demand for greener homes and features has grown considerably over the past several years,” said NAR President Gary Thomas. “Going green has proven to be more than a trend; many people now seek out this way of living and want homes and communities that are more resource efficient and sensitive to the environment.”

NAR data show that features which directly effect monthly energy costs are important to buyers; thirty-nine percent of survey respondents reported that a home’s heating and cooling costs were very important when considering a home for purchase, followed by energy-efficient appliances and lighting, each at 24 percent. Landscaping for energy conservation and environmentally friendly community features were less important but were still a factor in the minds of home buyers; nearly half of the buyers found these very or somewhat important.

Regionally, buyers in the North and South placed a greater importance on heating and cooling costs, probably due to more extreme temperatures in areas of the country like Ohio! The survey also found that buyers who purchased more recently built homes placed greater importance on environmentally friendly features than buyers who purchased older homes.

The NAR created the Green Resource Council in 2008 to administer the NAR’s Green Designation, which provides advanced training in green building and sustainable business practices for Realtors. So far, nearly 9,000 Relators have earned the Green Designation.